Kamen Rider Genm: NEW GAME
by BrokenDreamsAndSouls
Summary: Trapped within the Proto Mighty Action X Origins Gashat for years, Kuroto Dan is finally revived by an older Kiriya Kujo. Armed with his Gamer Driver and Origins Gashat, Kuroto is sent on a quest for redemption, aiming to save the world from an outbreak of the Neo Bugster Virus. But can Kuroto overcome his past and degenerated mental state to save anyone?
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

"Kuroto?" A voice said. Kuroto looked up from his laptop to see no one there. He looked back down.

Kuroto sat there, clacking at a laptop that was well past its expiration date. What was he doing? Coding yet another game. A game that no one would play. A game that no one would enjoy.

"And this game would be great for the whole family!" Kuroto announced, finishing up his newest game. It was a simple collection of sports games entitled, _Genm Sports_. He yelled aloud as he finished the last line of code that would be needed. Relaxing a bit in his chair, he took a sip of water. It was incredibly refreshing. Another game done. But he had plenty of game ideas in his head! And each one would be perfect to sell.

"Now what's next?" He asked himself as he waltzed over to a board with game ideas written all over it. He drew a line through _Genm Sports_ , before smiling. Games were everything to Kuroto, and being locked away with only his games made him appreciate them all the more. But there was a hole too. A hole for having everyone enjoy his games. "Cosmic Chronicle 2? No that's too boring! Maybe an RPG! Yes! A sequel, a full-fledged sequel to Taddle Quest! Taddle Quest 2 will include everything from Taddle Fantasy and Taddle Legacy!"

He laughed to himself and smiled. Making games made him happy, and that was what mattered to him now. The black-haired game creator was already getting excited as he sat down at his desk and began to work on sketches for his new idea. For Kuroto, this kept him from falling apart.

After his grand fight with Lazer, he never wanted to feel like he lost control again. Utilizing the original Proto Mighty Action X Gashat only worsened his mental state, which was always unwaveringly unstable. He lost control and killed how many in the name of his insane game, Zombie Chronicle? Kuroto didn't like thinking about it.

Suddenly there was an explosion outside his office. What was that, he wondered to himself. Noises inside his world were usually limited to him and him alone. He walked outside his office within the Game World and checked it out. To his surprise a Bugster was standing there. It looked so calm and happy to see Kuroto.

"Kuroto Dan! So we finally meet! I'm so glad to have the honor!" The Bugster said, opening up his hands like he wanted a hug.

"Bugster? What are you doing in my world?!" Kuroto demanded to know, his anger in full force. This was his world, within the Proto Mighty Action X Origins Gashat. This was his world, and no one was allowed in it. In fact, no one was allowed out of it either.

"So this is the world of the creator of all Bugsters? It looks like a passive failure of the real world." The Bugster asked. It wore a black suit and wore a top hat. In its hand was a regal looking brown cane.

"Who are you?! How dare you enter my domain!" Kuroto yelled. Being distracted from his games often put him over the edge. They were the cornerstone of his sanity in this world of isolation. Alone… A prison he allowed himself to be imprisoned in.

The Bugster simply laughed and clapped his hands together. He came forward and struck at Kuroto, who quickly backed up. Even in his own personal hellish prison, he couldn't get any alone time, could he? Despite being imprisoned, he had created a new Gamer Driver in case anything ever happened. He equipped it to his waist and pulled out his trusty Gashat, which he clicked.

 **Mighty Action X!**

"Grade Zero. Henshin!"

 **Click and Load! Let's Game! Super Game! Ultra Game! What's your name?!**

 **I'm a Kamen Rider!**

 **Click and Open! Level Up! Mighty Jump, Mighty Kick! Mighty~ Action~ X!**

"Kamen Rider Genm, Level Zero."

Genm ran forward and punched the mysterious Bugster with his fist. The Bugster was immediately burned, as a result of Level Zero's power to inhibit Bugster powers.

"Ouch! That hurt a lot you know!" The Bugster said, wielding a Gashacon Breaker suddenly. Genm grimaced and ran forward, ready to disarm the Bugster only to be whacked several times by monster. "I hope that hurts you back!"

"Who are you, Bugster?! I've never seen what game you're from."

"All in due time, dear Kuroto." The Bugster replied, whacking his cane at Genm several times. Genm summoned up his own Gashacon Breaker and did battle with the Bugster the best he could. It had been some time since he final battle with Kiriya Kujo, also known as Kamen Rider Lazer.

The two continued to clash, sparks flying every time their weapons collided. It was a very intense battle within the world mostly devoid of color, Kuroto's personal realm. However, each time Kuroto was hit, his life bar lowered immensely. Was he really this weak? No. He may not be a god, but he was stronger than this. Grabbing ahold of the cane with his free hand, he quickly kicked the Bugster, causing it to fall over.

"It's Game Over for you, Bugster! Kuroto Dan leaves no one alive when they trespass in his world!" Kuroto laughed dementedly for a moment, before regaining his composure. The years of isolation did a number to his mental state, bur he wanted to keep some semblance of sanity. He took the Gashat out of his Gamer Driver and put it into the Kimewaza Slot.

 **Kimewaza!**

"Goodbye Bugster!" Genm yelled, as he leaped into the air, and energy began to pile into his foot. He flew forward into the Bugster, who defended with his cane and Gashacon Breaker in an X-formation. Genm collided with the defensive Bugster's weapons. Unfortunately, his Level Zero powers were too weak to break through.

 **MIGHTY! Critical Strike!**

Genm flew backwards, as did the Bugster. A bright light shone overhead, enveloping Genm's senses. He heard something, as soon he could not see a thing.

"Kuroto! Kuroto!" A female voice could be heard yelling.

It took Kuroto a moment to focus in on the voice. Then he remembered who it belonged to.

"Poppy?"

* * *

A/N: A new fic meant to be a sequel to Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, starring our favorite memelord, Kuroto Dan. Except this will be the story of his redemption and how he overcomes the roadblocks of his mental problems when he's given a second chance at life outside of his little world. Is he still out of his mind? Plenty. Is he evil? Not so much. Now he's fighting for the couple people, mostly Poppy and Kiriya, he actually gives a damn about. I hope you enjoy! Sorry about the length, first chapters for me are always short.


	2. Chapter 2: NEO

Standing before Kuroto was the pink-haired Bugster herself. She looked exactly the same as the previous time he saw her… He didn't like thinking about what he had done to Poppy when he was so intent on creating the ultimate Gashat.

"Kuroto! You're alive!" Poppy said, somewhat hugging the thirty-year old man.

"Poppy… What's going on here?" He asked, somewhat confused as to what was going on. He then saw someone walk into the room. Despite looking much older, the person was recognizable as his number one player, Kiriya Kujo, the man for whom Kuroto created the final game.

"So it's true. Your mind is back in your head and not in this." Kiriya said, pulling out the Proto Origins Gashat. "Wasn't sure if it would work, but it did."

"Kiriya Kujo… What is going on here!?" Kuroto demanded to know. Both Poppy and Kiriya were taken aback a little bit. Despite his confusion, he didn't seem so… egotistical.

"I remember it like it was yesterday… I said something along the lines of bringing you back… to pass on your own legend." Kiriya mused, looking at the man in the bed. "It's easy. We knew you weren't really dead, and I long suspected you hid yourself away in this Gashat." He once more flashed the Proto Origins Gashat.

"So you knew, eh? Why bring me back at all?" Kuroto asked, looking down. He locked himself away for a reason. The world wasn't ready for his intellect. It could cause more harm than good, which is why he spent so much time working on games the world might not be ready for. Games like Kamen Rider Chronicle… should have never existed in the first place.

"Truth be told, it's because we need your help." Poppy said, piping in a little and going to stand next to the coroner.

"Why do you need my help?" Kuroto asked.

"Because you created the Bugster virus, didn't you?" Kiriya said, looking up a bit and walking toward the bed. "And now there's a new strain of the virus."

"And there's plenty of Kamen Riders out here, aren't there?" Kuroto asked, a small smirk on his face. So that Bugster that invaded his world must have been part of the new strain.

"That's the problem. Since the Neo Bugster Virus broke out…" Poppy trailed off a bit, before looking at Kuroto. "Emu… Hiro… Taiga… they've all been missing."

"Missing?" Kuroto shot out of bed. "And a new Bugster virus, huh?" He walked over to the window, slowly getting used to being in his own body again. He stared out the window of the room.

"We have a patient down in CR. Only I've been able to stave off the virus with the power of Level Zero, but still…" Kiriya looked down.

"The virus is becoming resistant to the vaccines… and Level Zero?" Kuroto was interested now. "So you not only need me for my intellect, but also my assistance!?"

"Umm yes, something like that… Liked you better when you were calmer." Kiriya said, as Kuroto coughed some.

"My apologies. I'm still working on… ridding that side of me." He looked down a bit and sighed. "Are you quite sure you want my help?"

Kiriya remained quiet and thought for a moment. He sighed and looked at Kuroto.

"That Gashat… God Maximum Mighty X brought almost everyone who died to Kamen Rider Chronicle and the Bugster virus back to life. You intended that didn't you?"

"Perhaps I did. I don't quite remember anymore." Kuroto sat down on the side of his bed. "I don't remember why I did much of anything. For so long I… I let my mind degrade thanks to the Proto Mighty Action X Gashat. And once the damage was done, I let it fester and mold my god-like impulses."

"You… really are sorry aren't you?"

"I don't expect to gain your trust… At least not for a while. But being trapped in that Gashat made me reflect… Reflect on the day that Kuroto Dan could be renewed for the real world!" He got up and put his hands in the air. "A New Kuroto Dan… one that did what he loved most, making games. So that's what I did. For countless years I did nothing but make games in that Gashat."

"Seems like a hell of a time." Kiriya laughed a little. "I guess we'll just have to see what part of the fence you fall on nowadays." But suddenly his laughter stopped.

Yelling could be heard from outside and below. Kiriya and Poppy both acted and headed outside, with Kuroto following in tow. Upon their arrival outside, they saw that the Bugster virus was loose. It soon evolved in a bright flash, giving birth to a new creature. The Neo Bugster virus had finally created its first creation, Neo Salty. Neo Salty waved his hand, creating a group of bright cyan Bugster grunts that were on the ready to attack.

"Salty? So this is the new strain of the Bugster virus you were talking about." Kuroto pulled his Gamer Driver out and attached it to his waist. Neo Salty looked very similar to Salty vanilla, only for his color palette to be swapped to a bright red color.

"Are you really up to this God?"

"I'm not a god. I'm a mere man with a godly intellect!" Kuroto threw his hands up and laughed, before stopping rather quickly. "And with this second chance, I'll prove the world wrong! Kuroto Dan does deserve a second chance at life…"

 **Mighty Action X!**

"Grade Zero. Henshin!"

 **Click and Load! Let's Game! Super Game! Ultra Game! What's your name?!**

 **I'm a Kamen Rider!**

 **Click and Open! Level Up! Mighty Jump, Mighty Kick! Mighty~ Action~ X!**

"And I'll clear this game, even if I have to use continues!" Genm yelled, pulling out his Gashacon Breaker and pounding several of the Neo Bugster grunts over the head. He made quick work of the neon blue monsters, as Salty laughed a bit.

"Even you, Genm, can't stop what's coming!" The Bugster yelled, shooting electricity at Genm who was quickly shocked. He fell to the ground, rolling a bit, before getting back up.

"You Neo Bugsters underestimate me!" Genm yelled, spinning around quickly as he could, destroying several of the Neo Bugsters. He then decided to engage Neo Salty in battle. He was a lot stronger than Genm had thought. Each hit that Genm inflicted on Neo Salty did close to nothing and was already tiring the black Rider out.

He fell backwards a little bit, after receiving a strong punch from Neo Salty. The Bugster proceeded to laugh as Kiriya watched on. Things weren't looking too good, and things could get worse. Each strike did little to no damage to Neo Salty, who was easily blocking every attack he received. It was horrible for Genm, who was receiving a pounding. With each blow, Genm's life meter dropped a little bit more.

Ten years since he last transformed… Ten years since he received a Game Over. Ten years since Zero Day had occurred.

Kiriya sighed a little and pulled out his old Gamer Driver. Despite not needing it over the years, he expected to need it in times like this. This was the first major Bugster outbreak since the vaccine had been developed. He pulled out his Bakusou Bike Gahat and ran forward. He leaped into the air, and kicked Neo Salty back.

"Not bad for ten years out of it, huh?" Kiriya asked, cracking his neck a little bit. He was older sure, but he was not out of the game yet. "But I think you could use some help, Pres."

 **Bakusou Bike!**

"Zero Gear. Henshin!"

 **Click and Load! Let's Game! Super Game! Ultra Game! What's your name?!**

 **I'm a Kamen Rider!**

 **Click and Open! Level Up! Roaring, ahead of the pack! Racing, going off track! Bakusou Bike!**

Lazer Level Zero stood there, holding his iconic weapon, the Gashacon Sparrow. Under his helmet, he smiled. Running forward he struck several times at the Neo Bugster, causing little damage to him.

"You really think we can defeat him at a meager level of Zero!?" Genm yelled, running up to Lazer's side. "We're too weak to fight this strain of the Bugster Virus!"

"Then we'll just level up to fight." Lazer said, taking out a neon green Gashat from his slot holder.

"Shakariki Sports?" Genm said, as Lazer handed it to him. "Are you sure?" He was a little uncertain, as he was nowadays, but Lazer nodded.

"We need as much fire power to fight this guy. We're CR. It's what we do. Now take it, Pres. We have a job to finish." Lazer grabbed a Proto Gashat from his holder and clicked it alongside Genm.

 **Jet Combat!**

 **Shakariki Sports!**

"Grade Zero-Three."

"Blast Gear."

 **Click and Open! Level Up! Roaring, ahead of the pack! Racing, going off track! Bakusou Bike! Gotcha! Go fly away, jet, do the sky! Fly-high-sky! Jet Combaaat!**

 **Click and Open! Level Up! Mighty Jump, Mighty Kick! Mighty~ Action~ X! Gotcha! Shakariki-Shakariki! Bad-Bad! Shaka–! Riki–! Shakariki Sports!**

Both Riders leveled up to new forms respectively. Lazer took to the skies and began firing a barrage of bullets at Neo Salty. Slowly, but surely, the Bugster was getting weaker. Wearing his new armor, Genm ran forward and struck at Neo Salty with the wheel of his bike.

The battle continued on for a little bit longer. Neo Salty was surprisingly resilient. Genm made sure to take notes about this new virus. The Gashats may need to be upgraded in order to more effectively combat this strain of he Bugster Virus.

 **Finisher!**

 **Finisher!**

 **Jet! Critical Strike!**

 **Shakariki! Critical Strike!**

Both Riders flew down with their respective Rider Kicks and broke through Neo Salty's defenses. He flew backwards as their energy combined into a singular attack and destroyed him at his core. Neo Salty yelled aloud as he exploded, and the two Riders fell back to he ground in front of him.

"That's how you ride!" Lazer said, spinning around a bit. In all truth, it felt good to be back in the fight. To fight Bugsters like this again, made him feel like no time had passed since the initial outbreak of the illness.

 **GAME CLEAR!**

Both Riders took their Gashats out and turned back to their normal selves. Kuroto looked over where Neo Salty was destroyed and saw something in the ashes. He walked over to the spot and bent down. He immediately frowned, and felt anger boiling within him.

"This is unacceptable!" Kuroto yelled, picking something off the grassy ground.

"Eh? What's up Pres?" Kiriya asked, walking over and looking over his shoulder.

"Someone… has been making bootleg Gashats." Kuroto said, his brows furrowing a bit. Normally he would freak out much further than this, but he knew now wasn't the time. He showed the Gashat to Kiriya. It said: _Mighty Action Z_. It was a cyan blue colored Gashat and showed a cyan blue colored Mighty on it. And Kuroto was not happy. Not one bit.

* * *

A/N: Here's chapter two. A little back and forth about how Dan has changed due to his isolation within the Gashat, and the first Neo Bugster! I wonder what will happen next?! More Poppy next chapter. And lemme know what you wanna see in this story, and I'll definitely try to include it!

* * *

 _KAMEN RIDER GENM!_

 _"You can't really expect us to trust him?!" Dr. Kagami yelled in the CR office._

 _"We need to locate Emu Hojo's location quickly!" Kuroto said. "Before this new virus spreads..."_

 _"You... This world doesn't need you! Proceeding to Level Two!"_


	3. Chapter 3: Hearts

"Heroics will get them nowhere. Be calm… For the humans do not know what is coming for them." A dark voice said, shadows surrounding the area around the speaker.

"Are you sure you can believe that? They've brought Kamen Riders Genm and Lazer out of retirement." Another voice said, disagreeing with the former. "If you're so sure that will get them nowhere, how do you explain the defeat of Neo Salty. They've already obtained Mighty Action Z… A Gashat that we need for our plans."

"Worry not, we've already created a new Gashat to be used." The darker voice replied, sounding quite happy with himself.

"You don't mean…?" The other voice said, concern raising from it.

"Correct. Taddle Hearts has been completed and is ready to be revealed to those pesky humans. And what is the status of the user we have chosen for it?"

"He is ready for battle whenever you deem necessary." The other voice said, looking down a bit at the ground, before eyeing the being before him. "You shouldn't have gone into the Origins Gashat. Genm will be a pain in our behinds if we're not careful…"

"A decade of isolation will do things to the mind, my friend. Do not worry a single bit." The darker voice fell back deeper into the shadows. "He will not be a nuisance. Not after what our dear doctor will be doing to him. Prepare the Neo Gamer Driver and Taddle Hearts Gashat. If a Neo Bugster cannot defeat Genm, then let a Kamen Rider do it."

"Yes, sir. Whatever you say." The other one said, just as the dark voice vanished into the shadows. He gulped a little and looked down. "Hopefully this doesn't go wrong… We cannot lose a precious asset."

He looked ahead.

"Not a single one."

* * *

"Missing Riders… A new Bugster virus… Quite the predicament you've all gotten yourselves into." Kuroto chuckled a bit in the CR. The old office had been dusted clean and was ready for use once again. Sitting before him were the three remaining members of CR: Poppy, Kiriya Kujo, and Parad. Parad could only roll his eyes a little bit at Kuroto's remark.

The Bugster formed from Emu was usually out and about looking for his best friend and partner, since Emu and the others had gone missing, he spent most of his time away from the CR. However, the arrival of the bootleg Gashat forced him to return to the CR for this emergency meeting.

Kuroto had spent quite some time working on the bootleg to discover what its purpose was, and that was the reason for this meeting. Kiriya twirled a bit on the back of his chair and stared at Kuroto for a moment.

"So, Pres, what do you got for us?" Kiriya asked, spinning a bit. Even in the ten years, his boredom at meetings had yet to fade away. He also took, upon Kuroto's request, not to refer to him as God, but as anything other. Kiriya remembered the days when he was simply the CEO of Genm Corporation, thus leading him to refer to his as Pres, as he used to.

"It's quite interesting. The Gashat was developed using Mighty Action X's code. However, the major difference is that not much love or care was put into the code that was changed. The Gashat was meant solely for the purpose of spreading this Neo Bugster virus and creating a new Salty as well. Whoever created this, though… needed the original Mighty Action X Gashat to create it. A bootleg needs the source code, after all, in order to function properly." Kuroto explained, placing the Gashat down on the meeting room table in front of them. Poppy looked down at it and frowned.

"You don't mean…" The pink-haired Bugster began to say, her frown worsening.

"Whoever created this Gashat has Emu!" Parad concluded, a fire already welling up within him. "But how do we know you're not lying to us? And just hiding whatever the real truth is?"

"Whether or not you ascertain me as telling the truth or not is up to you." Kuroto said, picking up the Gashat and glaring at it. "But when I speak about my games, I only speak the truth. This… Mighty Action Z, as it says, is a failed attempt at recreating my designs. And I will not stand for that. Not one bit."

"Pres, what do you suppose we do?" Kiriya said, looking utterly bored in his monotonous voice. He spun around a bit before stopping.

"We must locate Emu Hojo's location quickly!" Kuroto replied, holding up the bootleg Gashat. "Before this new virus spreads any further. We must suppress this virus before it claims any more lives."

"So now you have a moral code when it comes to lives, Genm?" Parad asked, raising an eyebrow, not trusting him at all. Kuroto simply shrugged a little bit.

"I am working towards a new Kuroto Dan! One who cares about the lives before him! One who will not step over those who walk in front of him! That is the Kuroto Dan I aim to be in this new life." Kuroto had his resolve, as he looked over to Poppy with a wistful look in his eyes. Had he not turned on Poppy, maybe none of this would be happening. He sighed a little bit, before looking up again. "And I give you the promise that if I go bad again, you can personally give me a Game Over."

Parad smiled a bit. This new Kuroto might be worth giving a shot.

"For now, though, we must locate Emu Hojo and recover the Gashats that he had. For now, as long as they have those Gashats, they will be able to create as many bootlegs as they want. Who knows what they've cooked up next?" Kuroto crossed his arms a bit, as Dr. Kagami came running into the room. He looked like he had just run a marathon, as his face was bright red and was sweating a little bit, as if he had come as fast as he could.

"E-everyone!"

"Dr. Kagami? What is it?" Poppy asked, tilting her head a little bit.

"It's… It's… It's Hiiro! He's shown up!"

"What? I thought he was missing?!" Kuroto asked, uncrossing his arms but looking quite serious. No one goes missing and then suddenly shows up without a second thought. "Has he said anything?"

"He wants you to meet him outside!" Dr. Kagami took a deep breath to catch his breath. "He wouldn't say much else other than that. He just stood there, almost like a robot."

"This doesn't sound good at all." Kiriya said, rising from his seat. He grabbed his Gamer Driver and Gashat from the table. "We need to check this out. Now."

"Let us begin then. Now that… Hiiro Kagami has suddenly appeared."

* * *

Outside of the hospital, it was indeed Hiiro Kagami standing before the four Riders. He wore a black suit, similar to the one he wore when he was allied with Cronus. He looked older as well, but still the same handsome doctor all the nurses swooned over. He stood away from the sign, almost robotically. His demeanor immediately changed as soon as he saw and locked eyes with Kuroto.

"You…"

"You've summoned us, Hiiro Kagami? I've heard you'd gone missing." Kuroto began to say.

"Brave… Where've you been? Where's Emu?!" Parad asked, only to get no response from Hiiro. Hiiro seemed to only have one person he wanted to talk to. Kuroto.

"You…"

"Don't tell me that's all you want. To see my glorious face!" Kuroto beamed his smile toward Hiiro.

"What are you doing back here?" Hiiro asked, his voice almost as robotic as his demeanor.

"I've come back to stop this new Bugster virus that has broken out. You see, I was attacked by a Bugster within my game and now I've come seeking answers." Kuroto explained. "I'm changing. To be a better… person."

"I can already tell from how you're speaking… Full of lies!" Hiiro said, swiping his hand down a little in anger, showing emotion finally.

"As I said earlier, whether or not you ascertain my speech as truth or lies is up to you. But right now…" Kuroto looked down at his Origins Gashat. "The world needs Kuroto Dan."

"You… Wrong! This world doesn't need you!" Hiiro said, grabbing out a purple and cyan colored Gamer Driver from his coat. He pulled out the Taddle Quest Gashat and clicked the button on the blue colored cartridge.

 ** _Taddle Quest!_**

"That Driver… It's just like…" Kuroto pulled out Mighty Action Z. "My theory is correct! You, Hiiro Kagami, are working with the new Bugsters that have appeared, aren't you?!"

"I don't need to answer to the man who tried to end the world! Proceeding to Level 2! Transform!"

 ** _Let's Game! Super Game! Ultra Game! What's Your Name?!_**

 ** _I'm a Kamen Rider!_**

 ** _Click and Open! Level Up! Taddle Meguru! Taddle Meguru! Taddle Quest~!_**

A blue and black screen appeared, showing an outline of Kamen Rider Brave, which Hiiro broke through in order to complete his transformation.

"You… We'll stop you. I've changed a lot in the past few years, and trust me when I say… I've grown quite a bit stronger too." Kuroto said.

"I don't think so!" Brave said, waving his hand and summoning a group of Neo Bugster viruses to the stand. They suddenly attacked Parad, Poppy, and Kiriya. The three others were pushed back, leaving the hot-headed doctor with the mad genius.

"Controlling Bugsters now too? My, my… You're certainly putting on a show for us, aren't you?" Kuroto laughed a bit as he took out his Gamer Driver and attached it to his waist. "I'll show you what I've learned trapped in my own Gashat… Grade Zero. Transform!" He quickly ran forward, placing the Gashat into the Gamer Driver and pulling the lever to open it up.

 ** _Let's Game! Super Game! Ultra Game! What's Your Name?!_**

 ** _I'm a Kamen Rider!_**

 ** _Click and Open! Level Up! Mighty Jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty~ Action~ X!_**

Genm broke through his own outline to complete his own transformation, as he summoned his Gashacon Breaker. Similarly, Brave took out his own Gashacon Sword, which collided with his opponent's weapon, sending sparks flying.

The two continued to duel each other on the grounds of the hospital, while the other three transformed to fight off the Neo Bugsters that had been summoned. Brave was having a hard time keeping up with the battle. His normal Level 2 form was a lot weaker than Genm's Level 0 form. Genm was able to keep one step ahead, with his already brilliant tactical mind in charge. With each strike, he was able to block Brave's attacks.

This wasn't to say that Brave was weak either. His own brilliant mind allowed him to stay on even ground for a long enough time, but he soon realized he needed another method. His mind, corrupted by hatred, soon fell to one possibility. He blocked an attack from Genm, and shoved him aside as he turned to face the black-colored Rider.

"Not gonna work huh? Let's try this then!" Brave said, pulling out a bright golden colored Gashat. Genm looked and shook his head a bit. It couldn't be…

"Another bootleg Gashat!"

"This Gashat is even stronger than Taddle Legacy, the Level 100 Gashat." Brave explained, clicking the button on the side of the Gashat to activate. "You won't be able to win against me, Kuroto Dan. Allow me to put you in the grave, where you belong."

 ** _Taddle Hearts!_**

"Hearts… Where have I heard that name before?" Genm groaned a little bit, as Brave took out the Taddle Quest Gashat in its initial slot and replaced it with the Taddle Hearts Gashat. He also closed the Driver's lever, covering up the face plate once more.

 ** _Gashat!_**

"Proceeding to Level Unknown." Brave said, reopening the Driver's plate.

"An unknown level!?" Genm yelled, running forward to try and strike him as he was transforming.

 ** _Click and Open! Level Up! Gather the Hearts! Fight the Heartless! Taddle Hearts!_**

Brave's blue armor became a bright gold, with black accents all over it. It was an incredible spectacle. As Brave finished his transformation, he raised his hand and quickly blocked the strike from the Gashacon Breaker's sword mode.

"I'll take your heart, Kuroto Dan. And use it to bring back Saki!" Brave said, summing his new weapon, the Gashacon Keyblade. Gears were starting to turn in Genm's head. Saki? Saki was gone, permanently now. He had though, after the previous experiences, that Brave had gotten over Saki Momose,

"So not just bootlegging my games, now, huh?" Genm said, as Brave struck him with his new weapon and sent him flying back. And then another strike came. And another. The strikes were relentlessly strong from the Keyblade that Brave now held. The single attack was filled with enough power to send Genm out of his transformation and back into Kuroto. Brave looked forward and simply walked toward Kuroto, who was gasping for air. He slowly rose up as he faced Brave head on. The golden colored Rider raised his hand, weapon in arms, as he began to lift it up.

"Your journey ends here!" Brave yelled, raising the weapon up before striking down toward Kuroto.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this took so long to come out. I finally got back in the mood to write this chapter and yes, some bootleg Gashats will be a fusion of Ex-Aid game with mainline games that we all know and love. In this case, to celebrate the release of KH 3, which came out a bit ago, we have Taddle Hearts! I hope you enjoy! Also Heartless Bugsters will appear next time.

* * *

KAMEN RIDER GENM!

"Is this really my end? At the beginning…?"

"Brave's power is above anything we've ever seen…"

"We need the power of a God to save us now."

* * *

 **Gashats Owned**

Kuroto Dan: **Proto Mighty Action X Origins, Mighty Action Z**

Kiriya Kujo: **Bakusou Bike, Proto Gashats, Dangerous Zombie, Shakariki Sports, God Maximum Mighty X**

Parad: **Dual Gashat Gear (Perfect Puzzle/Knockout Fighter)**

Poppy: **Tokimeki Crisis**

Hiiro: **Taddle Quest, Taddle Hearts**

Emu: **?**

Taiga: **?**


	4. Chapter 4: GOD

Kuroto braced himself for certain doom. He never expected this to be his death, always thinking of something a bit more heroic.

"Is this really my end…? At the beginning…?" Kuroto said to himself, closing his eyes. However, the strike to his head never came. Rather a blaring of noises came from behind him.

 **Finisher!**

 **Bakusou! Critical Strike!**

 **Finisher!**

 **Critical Crews-Aid!**

Suddenly, out of the blue, Lazer Turbo and Poppy had appeared from behind Kuroto, their finishers blazing out. Poppy came spinning in, beginning to strike and bounce against Brave, sending him back a bit. Lazer Turbo flipped up into the air, energy channeling in his foot, before he came crashing down, his foot making contact with Brave. The resulting blast knocked Brave backwards even more, but not enough to knock him out of his transformation.

"I think we ought to retreat for now." Lazer Turbo said, helping the beaten Kuroto to his feet. The Riders all agreed to this and retreated, as Brave turned around and vanished in a puff of magical smoke.

* * *

"What do you suggest we do… Kuroto?" Poppy asked, as Kuroto leaned forward, staring intently at his laptop. He seemed to be locked in place, wondering what he should do next. Develop a new game for their usage? This bootleg game was obviously quite powerful, but also had to have some sort of flaw. Bootlegs were never perfect, only a pale imitation of the true thing. The same had to be correct about Taddle Hearts.

"Brave's power is beyond anything we've ever seen… For a bootleg game that is." Kuroto began typing at his keyboard, having plugged in a Gashat adapter via USB to upload whatever data he had. He had something in mind, but it would require some work to do. "To combat this, we must simply develop a game that is more powerful than this bootleg."

"Ehhh? And how do you suppose to do that?" Parad asked, looking over Kuroto's shoulder and at the computer. Even if he did not like Kuroto that much, he had to give credit where credit was due. Kuroto was a mad genius when it came to game coding. Especially if that's all he did while he was locked up inside of the Proto Origins Gashat.

"I have had many ideas during my tenure inside my game, and one of my feature length games came to mind." Kuroto said, pulling up data from one of his other projects and opening it up in his game coding program.

"What would that be, Pres?" Kiriya asked, cocking his head a little bit.

"A game that would help neutralize that fake game that the enemy had created. It's very much possible the game is corrupting Hiiro Kagami's mind. And thusly, he is obsessed with reviving his fiancé no matter what. Because the game's story must have some grasp over that same concept." Kuroto thought back to the game it was based on, two characters fighting to revive their friend who had lost her heart. One on the side of light, and the other on the side of dark. If Taddle Hearts was dark, then they had to create a game that was light.

"I see. So if we collect that Gashat from him, we'll be able to turn him back, right?"

"Hypothetically speaking, yes. I've observed all I could from Mighty Action Z, but the code is all over the place. It's hard to tell what kind of effect the new virus could have on the human brain of someone with the compatibility surgery already in place." Kuroto explained, clacking away at his keyboard as much as he could.

"So, when will this game be done, Genm?" Parad raised an eyebrow, looking at the code.

"The game will be done when I complete it! The game I have in mind is a spin-off to Poppy's DoReMiFa Beat!" Kuroto, having pulled up the data of his spin-off game, realized he was nearly done with the project. Taking a deep breath, he entered his development mode and began typing away furiously to finish the Gashat.

Everyone simply remained quiet, and watched, in amazement, as Kuroto worked. Kiriya remembered those long hours of re-developing Hyper Muteki after it was erased. It was hell, but he was still impressed by the man's work ethic. Is this truly all he did for almost ten years?

Poppy and Parad nearly fell asleep, only to wake up when they heard Kuroto yell out.

"It's complete! Now to upload the data to the Gashat!" He said, only for an alert to be heard from the CR monitor. "What is it?!"

"It's Hiiro! He's back outside! And he's got a bunch of shadow-y looking Bugsters with him!" Poppy yelled, rubbing her eyes a little bit, as she pulled up the live feed on the monitor.

"It's no use! My Gashat won't be ready in time for this to be done! It still needs time to upload!" Kuroto yelled, shaking his computer a little bit. He needed more time! But there was no time left. The corrupted Hiiro wanted his heart on a silver platter, and he wouldn't stop until the hospital was burned to the ground. That's why he was using those shadow-y Bugsters. To lure out the group. "We need the power of a God to save us now!"

"A god, huh…?" Kiriya said, grabbing Kuroto and pulling him to his feet. He reached into his pocket, removing a badly worn Gashat. It was God Maximum Mighty X. "We overused this quite a lot to help repair the damage done by Chronicle… And you… But this is the most powerful Gashat we have without Hyper Muteki." He handed it to Kuroto, who examined it for a moment. He feared this Gashat. It was heavily developed similarly to the Proto-Gashats, enough to worsen his mind.

"I don't know if I can use this, Kiriya Kujo." Kuroto knew his limits, and this may drive him back toward his worse inhibitions. "Plus, from the wear on it… It may only last me a little while without proper time for repairs."

"Oi, Pres, you've only been back a little while but… I know you can handle this Gashat." Kiriya said, pushing him toward the door. "We'll keep an eye out down here, because I know you… You can do this. Remember what you told me? The game never ends. And you can't let this game end here, can you?"

Kuroto had a look of determination, before nodding. "I… I can do this!" Turning around, he headed out the door and toward the ground level of the hospital. He knew this was a battle he had to do on his own. He just hoped that there was enough power left in the Gashat to do its thing.

Brave was already transformed, flanked by a group of Heartless Bugsters. They simply stood there, robotically, as if waiting for a command. Kuroto arrived soon after, staring down his foe.

"Hiiro Kagami! I've come to claim your bootleg Gashat!" Kuroto announced, attaching his Gamer Driver to his waist.

"You really think you can defeat me? My power far outpowers anything you have!" Brave yelled back, flicking his hand. "Heartless! Bring me Kuroto Dan's heart!"

The monsters took this objective, running forward toward Kuroto. Taking a deep breath, he dodged out of their way. And fought against them the best he could. Running backwards a little, he pulled out the most powerful Gashat and clicked it to activate it.

 **GOD MAXIMUM MIGHTY X!**

"That Gashat! It can't be!" Brave took a step back.

"Grade Billion. Transform." Kuroto said, staying as calm as he could. His rational mind would have to keep on trucking, while his fear took a back seat.

 **Maximum Click and Load! Click and Open!**

 **I-MMOR-TAL! THE HIGHEST GRADE, THE MOST GODLY OF TALENTS! KUROTO DAN! KUROTO DAN!**

Brave stood back as the sudden appearance of Genm's mech body appeared. Taking, yet another, deep breath Genm hit the button on top of the Gashat.

 **GOD MAXIMUM X!**

Genm jumped up into the air, and the mech opened, allowing Genm inside of it to pilot it. He looked over to Brave. Summoning a Gashacon Key Slasher, Genm began running forward. With a flash of light, he easily destroyed the smaller Heartless Bugster.

"Level Billion… I would say the two of us are on similar levels now!" Genm yelled, striking forward at Brave, who responded by blocking with his own Keyblade.

"I thought that Gashat had no more usage!" Brave yelled, as he was soon overpowered by the stronger Rider.

"It has at least one more fight left in it! Most of its energy was utilized to revive those killed by Chronicle, but now its power serves me! And I will defeat you!" Genm yelled, striking him several more times with the sword he held. Each blow was enough to send Brave off his feet and tumbling toward the ground.

Each time he did so, there was another mass gathering of Heartless Bugster, who made their way toward Genm. Again, Genm paid them no heed. His power was more than enough to strike down any Bugster in his way. It was truly the power of a deity.

He could feel his mind drifting. It was not a good thing. The more he thought as he fought, the more he had to restrain himself from using the powers to create games. It was slowly leeching his mind as he fought.

What else could he do? He had to keep on fighting in order to save Brave from himself. To prove he wasn't such a bad guy after all. But it was crawling back into his mind. The Gashat was speaking to him.

"You are a God!" It would say to him. But Kuroto knew better, he had to have known better. He was no god. He was a mere man. And a man who wanted to do better than he had. But he found his reckless fighting causing more and more damage to Brave. Underneath that armor it was impossible to tell how low his health was.

"I am no God." Kuroto responded to the Gashat. He was not that. He would never be that again. He wouldn't let it happen! He turned and blocked an attack from Brave.

"Impossible… Your heart was supposed to be mine!" Brave yelled, running forward and jumping into the air. He pulled the Gashat out of his belt and into the Finisher Slot Holder.

 **Finisher! Taddle! Critical Strike!**

"You really think that will be enough to beat me?!" Genm yelled, closing and opening his Gamer Driver.

 **Finisher! God Maximum! Critical Blessing!**

The large mech jumped into the air, before the limbs retracted inside. The mech soon opened and launched Genm at Brave. Their feet were glowing their respective colors, soon colliding with one another. The result was a large explosion occurring, with Genm falling to the ground in a victorious stance. From the sky, the Taddle Hearts Gashat landed into his hands. He smiled a bit underneath his mask. He pulled the God Maximum Mighty X Gashat out of his Driver, and turned to face Hiiro, who was lying face down on the ground.

The God Maximum Mighty X Gashat soon glowed grey, turning back into a blank template Gashat. Its usage had run out, causing Kuroto to pocket it alongside the bootleg. He walked over and bent down to see if Hiiro was breathing. He was. Soon enough, the genius surgeon got up from his laying position, looking to Kuroto.

"Kuroto… Dan…? Am I… dead?" Hiiro asked, getting up to his feet.

"You are not, Hiiro Kagami. In fact, we are both very much alive!" Kuroto told him, taking the Neo Gamer Driver off his waist. "And I'll be taking this for examination."

"That Driver… What is it? What's going on Kuroto Dan?" Hiiro demanded to know, dusting the dirt off his clothing.

"You don't remember anything?" Kuroto asked, putting a hand up to his chin.

"All I remember was… returning home from work. When I arrived home… Nothing. My memory stops there. Until now."

"Interesting. Very interesting. It seems you were being manipulated, Hiiro Kagami. By a new breed of Bugsters."

"New Bugsters…?! Why didn't I hear of this?!"

"We will explain it all to you, in due time… For now, though, we should get you back to the CR before anyone can grab you and do what they did last time to you." Kuroto said, turning to face the hospital and beginning to walk toward it with Hiiro in tow. What was going on here? Why could he not remember a single thing of his time corrupted? What could be at work here?

What was Kuroto missing? He'd guess that the new Driver he held would hold promising answers.

* * *

KAMEN RIDER GENM!

"Kuroto's been kidnapped!"

"His new Gashat may be the only thing we can use to save him."

 **DOREMIFA IDOL!**

* * *

 **Gashats Owned**

Kuroto Dan: **Proto Mighty Action X Origins, Mighty Action Z, Taddle Hearts, God Maximum Mighty X (Template)**

Kiriya Kujo: **Bakusou Bike, Proto Gashats, Dangerous Zombie, Shakariki Sports**

Parad: **Dual Gashat Gear (Perfect Puzzle/Knockout Fighter)**

Poppy: **Tokimeki Crisis, Unfinished Gashat**

Hiiro: **Taddle Quest**

Emu: **?**

Taiga: ?

* * *

A/N: Ahhh another chapter. Working on a new fic as well, Kamen Rider Saiba. Another AU ending to Ex-Aid revolving around Nico and her new friends in America as they fight a new Bugster virus breaking out in her city where she lives. She'll be forced to confront certain truths about herself, as she finds herself falling for a certain new someone in her life, while juggling that with her competitive gaming career and her new job as a Kamen Rider. It'll be coming soon! So be on the lookout! And enjoy this chapter! I hope you do!


End file.
